Largest companies (1,000 or more employees)

The Globe invited 1,746 employers to participate in the 2013 Top Places to Work survey. Of those, 333 organizations employing over 169,000 people went all the way through the process, allowing us to conduct a confidential survey of their workers. Research partner, WorkplaceDynamics of Exton, Pa., specialists in employee engagement and retention, contacted more than 127,000 employees at those companies and received completed surveys from 76,482 individuals. They were asked to grade their organizations performance according to 22 distinct statements, ranging from "New ideas are encouraged at this company," to "My manager makes it easier to do my job well." More on methodology.